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THE LAST RESORT - Lagunitas
David Lee Hoffman
About The Last Resort
Historical Landmark Status
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Letters of Support
Mr. David Lee Hoffman Letter to Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, July 12th, 2021
July 21, 2021 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
David Lee Hoffman, CDO
Post Office Box 10 Lagunitas,
California, 94938
July 12, 2021 Supervisor Dennis Rodoni
3501 Civic Center Drive
Dear Dennis,
This year marks my fiftieth anniversary living here in the San Geronimo Valley. I still wake up every morning in awe of the precious beauty of this place. It's been a wondrous and magical journey. But it also appears like this is the year that journey could end. Just how that plays out remains to be seen…
Prior to settling in the San Geronimo Valley, I had spent ten years living on the road out of the country. I lived my life carving my way through untraveled paths that took me to every hidden nook and cranny of the world in search of something I wasn't even sure of. But slowly, bit by bit, mile by mile, year by year, it began to reveal itself to me. It became clear the world was in trouble and needed ways for its people—particularly those not favored by fortune—to live healthily and happily in a sustainable way. At a time when perhaps these concerns were not at the forefront of the world's attention I became compelled to devote my life to experimentation and the gathering of knowledge to build, with my own hands and with my own resources, systems and processes to provide actual, practical help to deal with these existential challenges.
I choose Lagunitas as the place to put my ideas into practice. The Last Resort is a living model of sustainability. I've done it. It exists. And it works. Life attracts life. When I see snakes, frogs, lizards, and butterflies in the garden amongst my healthy and delicious veggies, I know everything is working properly. I have regular visits of Great Blue Herons and Egrets. We even found two new species of frogs this year on the property. As I write this I'm listening to the chatter of Acorn Woodpeckers outside my window. Their nesting population is now expanding (thanks to a Douglas Fir tree I had specially prepared for their new residency and my viewing enjoyment!).
I've put in the years and the blood and the heartache to create what I consider to be a gift for the future. It's my desire to infuse young and inquisitive minds with a sense of hope, enjoyment, and inspiration.
Perhaps most important, I am hoping all my accomplishments can be the strong shoulders for the next generation of thinkers and innovators to stand on. I'm not alone in feeling The Last Resort is a vital seed that should be allowed to survive, to germinate, to grow.
I have devoted my life, labor, and resources not to enrich myself. I live simply and humbly. And now I humble myself out of a deep concern for our planet's future and pray the fine minds and clear thinkers of the County and Court will find a way to innovate a creative solution to this mess so that we all may benefit.
We know that life on our planet as we once knew it is failing fast: food security, drought, unprecedented record heat waves, wildfires, species extinction. The list continues to grow with dire urgency. If The Last Resort is sold by the Receiver and leveled for a quick profit, only the Receiver, the developers, and a handful of others will benefit.The tragedy of this waste and destruction would be beyond madness.Please do the right thing and help follow the recommendation of your own Architectural Commission who voted unanimously to preserve the property intact as having historical significance.
When we last met, you told me you thought Steve Kinsey made a mistake by pushing for the Receiver to take over my property. If you still feel that way, this would be a good time to right a wrong.
My structures will likely be standing centuries after conventional homes are long gone. But it's not the outward form of the structures I praise; it's the silent systems in place that makes the property sustainable. The systems' success has far exceeded my expectations.
I live in comfort the year round, grow my own food (cooked mostly by the sun), and have a small successful home-crafted cottage industry business that provides a steady, sufficient income to pay for all my basic living expenses (and is set up to do so for decades to come). All this is accomplished on a very small carbon footprint. This is what sustainability looks like.
Clearly I have broken the County's law by not having the County's permission to do what I have done. I accept a loss and understand theCounty must prevail, even if only as a deterrent to warn others of the consequences of unpermitted construction.
For years everyone was telling me I need a lawyer to make a deal with the County. I followed that advice and now after nine lawyers and spending more than $500,000 I am in a worse position now than ever before. The judge has now ordered me to vacate next month so the Receiver can proceed with the demolition and sale of the property.
How much money would be a fair and reasonable punishment for all the fines and penalties? I would have thought $60,000 (nearly twice what I paid for the property) would have sufficed. This is the amount Paul Smith, lawyer seven, had worked out with County Council Tom Lyons. But suddenly Lyons got replaced with County Council Brian Case who took that offer off the table.
The County has already received $240,000 of my money to pay for delinquent taxes levied from my construction transgressions. Apparently this amount is insufficient. The County is insisting on an additional $1.2 million dollars! If I don't pay by next month, I will lose my property that I owned and lived on for 48 years: my home, my garden, my workspace, my livelihood. Will this really happen on your watch? Do you really want to see me being made homeless over this? Would this not be considered "cruel & unusual" punishment?
I lived the Great American Dream; I worked hard, paid my taxes to the government (Federal, State, & County totaling more than $690,000 and counting), and achieved success. But it's especially disheartening when one is trying to do what's best for the health of our planet (and personal health as well) by following laws of nature, only to have them conflict with those laws made by politicians.
Dennis, can you and I meet again at this 11th hour to see if there is any possible way to avert the unthinkable? We can talk over tea at my tea shop (I just extended the lease for another year), 7282 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Of course I'm happy to meet at your office as well. I was going to suggest including Brian Crawford from CDA but saw he has since retired. Maybe Tom Lai?
Interim Curator of The Last Resort
"In my professional opinion, there is sound evidence that this is a property-an integrated collection of structures and spaces-of potential cultural importance."
— Mark Hulbert Preservation Architect
"I was amazed and delighted to see a bit of the Himalaya so artfully and lovingly built in West Marin. I urge the Board to approve a resolution giving County Historic Landmark status to the site."
— Sim van der Ryn former California State Architect
"The Last Resort Lagunitas constructions at 2 Alta Avenue and 230 East Cintura Avenue in Lagunitas represent one of the few existing art environments in northern California."
— Jo Hernandez, Emeritus Director of SPACES (Historic property archival research organization now part of the Kohler Foundation)
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April 2020: Court Update
April 22, 2020 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
To all who came to the Courtroom last Thursday, March 12th –
…for taking time out of your busy life
…for flying in the face of caution with the Virus all around
…for patiently sitting through hours of our judicial system upholding the law
…for believing in The Last Resort
I heard it mentioned more than once, had not Ann Draper, a local practicing attorney of 45 years not stepped in at the 11th hour, the judge would have declared GAME OVER and I would have become just another statistic in the growing world of homelessness. Ann took time away from her busy schedule, worked her butt off to get up to speed, showed up in court, and did it all Pro Bono because she believed this whole situation is a gross injustice. Ann succeeded in obtaining a 45 day extension and, at least temporarily, blocking the judge from demolishing the property back to a single family residence, putting it on the market, and sold to pay off the million-dollar debt to the County.
Thank you Paul Seaton and The Lagunitas Project Board Members who continue to work to find a way to preserve my legacy.
Special thanks to A.J. Marson and Matt who have videotaped the court proceedings and have made it available for viewing.
Password: hearing
Read my March 2020 Newsletter below for great stories and information about wonderful tea selections.
Stay healthy all and keep that bug out of your lungs,
March 2020: Snippets, Vignettes, & Mini-rants
March 1, 2020 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness
To My Dear Tea Drinking Friends & Supporters of The Last Resort,
It's hard to believe it's been 2½ years since my last newsletter. There is much to report. As my life, my home, my business are all co-mingled and linked together it's not possible to isolate and separate one from the other. You will read about my travails with the County, you'll hear about changes with the tea business, and you'll have an opportunity to enjoy some wonderful tea offerings. I may also include a mini-rant or two about the lack of government action addressing the real problems facing our planet.
All good things must come to pass. Or not? This year commemorates the thirtieth year since I began travelling to China in search of fine and rare teas. The best rewards from this venture were the gifts of meeting so many wonderful people along the way. These memories will continue until I die. But life is change and change can be scary and stressful. But this is where tea can make its entrance bringing solace, comfort, and friends together in a simple ceremony of celebration for the moment. We know we can't change the past nor predict the future but we can sure give thanks and show gratitude for what we have in the present. Isn't this a good time to honor family and friends with a nice cup of tea?
Sometimes the smallest things in life make for the biggest and unexpected change. I never would have imagined that the bite of a tick could have such a devastating effect to my health. The reality is unless a cure is found for Lyme Disease, and County issues get resolved, I may have to shut down the tea business…
Recently I made my routine trip to the docks in West Oakland to pick up a tea shipment. Lost in the past and reflecting on the memories from 30 years in the life of tea, I was having a bittersweet moment. Distracted in thought, I missed the freeway onramp and became hopelessly lost in the city in which I was born and raised. I was in unrecognizable territory. Was I seeing an apocalyptic vision of the future? Block after block were homeless encampments. Who were these people? What was their story? How is it possible the richest country in the world could allow such a thing to happen to its citizens? We turn a blind eye and blame them for their own predicament. We criminalize poverty. Shameful. Yet next week I could be one of them…
For years, I followed advice that I needed a lawyer in order to make a deal with the County to save my home. After nine lawyers and spending more than half a million dollars on legal fees, I'm still no closer to a settlement.
The judge is losing patience and wants to see significant progress at the next court hearing on Thursday, March 12th, or he's sending in the bulldozers and I'm out on the streets. I still find it hard to believe that someone could sign a piece of paper and all of a sudden my home of 47 years is no longer my home. My last two attorneys implored me to remove everything of value off the premises. (Maybe if I was 40 years younger and in good health). The Receiver, who the judge appointed to have control of my property, could show up any time with the Sheriff and an empty van and start hauling off my possessions. The risk is real. Furthermore, my attorneys informed me, if I don't follow the judge's directives, I could be held in contempt of court and put in jail. All because I built without a permit, something not that uncommon here in West Marin!
"You're guilty as sin. You didn't have a permit", the legendary lawyer Carl Shapiro told me. He defended me as best he could at the age of 96, which put him into the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest practicing attorney to go to court.
I'm not counting years in terms of time but by the change in the value of the US dollar. When I first left the US in 1963 to travel abroad on a sabbatical from college and arrived in Europe, the popular book at the time for travel was Europe on 5 Dollars a Day. I did it on $1 a day. Youth hostels in Germany were 25 cents a night, breakfast included, anywhere in the country. A brand new BMW motorcycle from the factory was $560. Three years down the road after slowly working my way through Africa and across Asia, I arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal. There I rented two rooms in a traditional house with earthen floors (warm in winter, cool in summer). My rent was $2 per month!
After 10 years of living and traveling abroad in more than 110 countries, I chose to return to the states. I fell in love with the San Geronimo Valley. I felt so at home here with the free-spirited, creative, and slower-paced lifestyle of the Valley and being surrounded with a thriving abundance of nature. I especially appreciated the longstanding West Marin tradition of owner-built home construction without the bother of County permits.
I loved the 3-bedroom home on the creek in Woodacre I was renting and wanted to buy it. The owner came down to $18,000. I offered $16,000. (This is how old I am!) My offer was refused, and shortly after, my current property came on the market. I purchased it walking up the driveway. I knew this was the place to create The Last Resort where I could demonstrate a working model of a waste-free, integrated ecological and sustainable environment. It had to be functional, beautiful, practical, durable, and welcoming to visitors. But how could I afford a $38,000 property that was more than twice my budget? I took a chance and bought my first home. I collected my few belongings at the Woodacre rental, along with tens of thousands of my composting worms, and moved down the road to my new place in Lagunitas.
The descendants of those original worms are still thriving here today!
Tea Break Number One
There are five main categories of tea: white, green, oolong, black and pu-erh. We'll begin with a white. White tea is the least processed of all the types of tea. It is the only one that the leaf is not rolled during processing so the cell structure remains intact. This allows the tea to age well and makes it very forgiving to brew as it can also benefit from a long steep. We offer a blend of Aged White Peony "Bai Mudan" Cat. No. 1103, $25 ¼ lb. purchased between 2004-2006 from select lots in northern Fujian Province. Recently we added to the mix my last great find of the Zhenghe varietal Bai Mudan, which has made for a delightful and balanced taste.
This segues perfectly to a shipment of lead-free pewter tea caddies from Malaysia that was purchased in northern Fujian in 2004. My shipper was stopped as he didn't have the proper license to export them but the problem was resolved by filling each caddy with some White Peony "Bai Mudan". Don't be surprised when you open the lid and find tea inside!
Tea Caddy, Lead-free Pewter, 5" x 3", Cat. No. 8708, 680 grams, $100.
Tea Caddy, Lead-free Pewter, 6 ¼" x 3", Cat. No. 8709, 760 grams, $125.
While traveling the world, I mastered the art of living simply with very little money that was easily sustained by the occasional odd job. I was happy to continue this lifestyle in my new home. I was able to build with minimal funds, using salvaged and recycled materials, and with the helping hands of good friends and neighbors. Life was simple and affordable back then. I managed to pay my mortgage and live on the $300 a month income from my small publishing business. My electrical and utility bills were around $5.00/month though after a neighbor gave me their refrigerator (a 1950's Westinghouse – made in America, never been serviced, and still working great today!) my bill went up to $10/month where it remained for many years.
County issues began in the early 1980's with a red tag stop work order. For a while there were regular visits from County officials. They were always friendly and good-natured. In my attempt to resolve the situation, I discovered a clause in the building codebook that stated film sets did not require a permit. At the time, Les Blank, the internationally acclaimed filmmaker, was filming his second film about me and The Last Resort (his first, All In This Tea, portrayed my travels to China in pursuit of tea, had received many accolades). I posited this argument to the Marin County Building Department. I was present when the department head and the Chief Enforcement Officer discussed whether there was a time limitation for this film set exemption. They concluded there was not, and for many years it certainly appeared they had given me their tacit approval to continue with the status quo. (This information was presented at one of the earlier court hearings. The film set code exemption has since been modified).
Sadly the older generation of county officials has retired and old agreements and understandings are no longer accepted. Even sadder was Les Blank passing in 2013. AJ Marson has since taken up the reigns on the filming project. You can check out a few of his short segments on The Last Resort and The Lagunitas Project websites. There are also updates on the latest situation with the County.
Tea Break Number Two
The second tea break is an easy choice. Our best green tea, hands down, is David's Green Private Reserve, Pre Qing Ming Green Mist, Cat. No. 2505, $50 ¼ lb. Grown at 1200 meters in Northern Fujian, close to the Zhejiang border. It's organic and I've been buying from this farm for about 20 years.
How I got my title "CDO"
I was so enjoying my life in Marin County. Nature was always close by and so deliciously intoxicating that I took frequent walks throughout the countryside to replenish and invigorate my spirit. Thus it came as an absolute shock to learn Marin County had the highest rate of breast cancer in the country! I didn't get it. Everything appeared so green and healthy. There is no industry. No air pollution. I had been aware of the ominous steady decline in our beloved songbird population since the 1980's and that gave me great cause for concern. We can understand why this is happening, but cancer? I contacted the Marin Breast Cancer Watch to learn more. The Biomonitoring Forum, sponsored by the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, was the ideal venue and they included me in their activities. I learned lots of interesting things:
I learned there were 85,000 synthetic chemicals in use around us that weren't on the planet a hundred and fifty years ago. Only 4½ percent of them have ever been tested for safety and some 2,000 new chemicals are added annually. The body burden in each and every person on the planet is at least 80-90 different chemicals. No one knows the effects to our health with the combinations of these compounds. No studies have ever been done.
Ÿ Species extinction was over 100 per day. (That figure was from twenty years ago. Today these numbers have increased geometrically).
ŸCorporate profits to stockholders are more important than health risks of their products to the population.
When their 100-page report was published I was embarrassed to be the only person listed under Acknowledgements without any letters after their name. Henceforth, I added "CDO". Not many have asked what this stands for. In case you're curious; College Drop Out…
"Don't let schooling get in the way of your education".
Tea Break Number Three
This third break is for the Oolong drinkers – gongfu masters, contemplative thinkers, monks and meditators, poets and painters, all derive an altered state of awareness when imbibing these teas. This lot is from Wudong, at the top Phoenix Mountain in Guangdong Province, where this tea was picked from trees that were planted in the Song Dynasty 700 years ago.
This particular lot is Phoenix Mountain Oolong, Private Reserve, Wudong Old Tree, Da Wu Ye, Cat. No. 3205, $75 ¼ lb.
I lived the American dream. I worked hard and built two successful businesses. The first was textile conservation based on my invention of a sonic cleaning system that was eventually sold to Germany. After that I focused full time on my rapidly growing tea business. Hoping to have a more relaxed life, I sold my tea company, Silk Road Teas, in 2004 for a million dollars! I was excited to reap the rewards of my years of hard work, but after purchasing a new truck and paying off all my bills, my accountant informed me that I also had to pay Uncle Sam $450,000 in taxes! There went my retirement! It was painful to write those checks to the government, but, oh well I thought, at least it made me a good citizen …
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by really smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Fast forward to the present. All my lawyers have now been dismissed. I'm now representing myself. "Only a fool has himself for a lawyer". But what do you call someone who follows the same path again and again expecting to arrive at a different destination? County fines, penalties, Receiver fees, court costs, etc, have now exceeded $1 million dollars. An additional $2.2 million is currently needed for so-called "code upgrades". One lawyer even suggested it might cost between five to ten million dollars to make the property "code compliant"! The judge, who seemed somewhat reasonable and sympathetic, is now impatient and wants to see this case resolved and taken out of the court system. Of course! We all want that, including tens of thousands of supporters. What a waste of so many people's time, it's all about the money now. The judge ordered me to negotiate with the County Counsel and come up with a settlement.
My first meeting with the County Counsel went reasonably well and left me somewhat hopeful. The second meeting was more interesting with County Counsel telling me how much the Receiver admired my work and how hard he's been working on my behalf (sic!).
I should mention the degree of complexity that has overwhelmed my life and The Last Resort due to the actions of the Receiver. We've now had visitors from several state and federal agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Fish & Game, State Water Quality Board, as well as Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, Attorneys, even the Judge himself made an appearance.
The County Counsel tells me I should be grateful to the Receiver who is working hard to try and negotiate down the $700,000 fine for the fabricated claim regarding pollution I supposedly dumped into the creek. This violation has not been backed up by any evidence; no testing was ever done. But if I were to pay this amount for "off-site water mitigation", I would be able to keep my buildings and avoid demolition! I told the County Counsel this is the classic definition of extortion! But in the next breath, I said though I wasn't opposed to extortion, let's get that figure to a reasonable amount. I also said that whatever payment I make must be for a global solution. Case dismissed. Period. Finito. Let me live my life in peace!
The third meeting lasted only minutes before I walked out after accusing the County Counsel of being disingenuous. You see, Jeannie, who also does my bookkeeping, showed me the latest bank statement from my maxed-out personal equity line at Bank of America. There was an entry that simply read "other charges" and it amounted to around a quarter million dollars! Believing the bank made an error, Jeannie called to enquire. Their response was vague but they said they would mail documentation. Weeks passed and nothing was received. After repeated phone calls I learned the withdrawal was for HOA (Home Owners Association!). We don't have a Home Owners Association. More calls to the bank and eventually two pieces of mail arrived, weeks apart, with sixteen pages of fine print. No mention was made of the money that was withdrawn. "Look. The County asked for money and we gave it to them", was another response. "Would you put that in writing?" I asked. "No, its confidential". Another call to the bank suggested I might need to have a lawyer involved to get an answer to my two simple questions: who initiated the withdrawal and where did the money go? Unbelievable! I also cannot get any straight answer, in writing, from either the Receiver or the County Counsel. They both deny any knowledge. Was it a coincidence that this mysterious charge happened the same day as my second meeting with the County Counsel? After more calls and listening to so many different explanations from the bank I began to smell a rat (and it wasn't coming from my new Chinese calendar!).
Some rob you with a Six gun
And some with a fountain pen.
-Woody Guthrie
Tea Break Number Four
Writing this previous section has put a bad taste in my mouth so I'm glad its time for another tea break. Black Tea is called Red Tea in China and what they call Black Tea is a type of tea we don't have a name for in English so I use the Chinese name of Heicha and sell them under our pu-erh section. But that's a topic for our next and final tea break. The black tea we're offering is produced from a rare tea varietal in northern Fujian Province not so far from the Wuyi Mountains. This is one of the many tea varietals that can only be found in China. The tea has a wonderful rich and smooth taste with a subtle and distinctive floral aroma. Makes an excellent iced tea too. We think this tea has a good future for western tea drinkers so even if you don't purchase this tea in your next order, ask us to include a free sample for you to enjoy.
Yao Qing Hua Xiang, "Fresh Fragrance", Fujian Prov., Cat. No. 4510, $30 ¼ lb.
Our planet is in crisis and I tend to follow the laws of nature more than the laws of man, especially when the laws are detrimental to the health of our planet. In truth I've had to face the reality that I've probably been a scofflaw most of my life and have tried to follow the best intentions of my heart rather than the letter of the law. Like the artist who has to paint or the singer who must sing, I had to do what I did, believing there is a better way of living on the planet. Like the Conscientious Objector who refuses to go to war and kill, I could not live and contribute to the waste and destruction I saw around me. We are in the Sixth Mass Extinction but unlike the other five, we are the cause of this one. Shouldn't we all be at least a little concerned? Does the science even matter?
I'm slightly ashamed to admit I've had to draw courage from a sixteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg. She's not driven by desire for fame, trying to sell a book, or running for office. She's a vote for the future and a voice for concern and action. She also has the rare gift of having immense intestinal fortitude. If you want the science behind her passion, please read Dahr Jamail's book "The End of Ice". The Smithsonian has called it one of the ten best science reads. Don't expect hope, that is not what this book is about. Our beautiful planet has a terminal illness. We should all know and understand this, so we can choose to live our lives accordingly.
"Patriotism is loving your country all the time
and your government when it deserves it"
– Mark Twain.
I often ask people I meet the question of what gives them hope for the future. There's usually a long pause. Some respond by just slowly shaking their heads in silence. But the answer I enjoy hearing the most is pointing to the new generation of young farmers who want to get their hands in the dirt and grow good food. They understand the importance of a vibrant living soil, nourished by regenerative and sustainable practices. I honor and respect these young farmers. Like schoolteachers who want to teach, nobody farms to get rich. Thus it's a noble profession and a totally right livelihood to its core. We are fortunate to have great mentors like the Bob Cannards, Joel Salatins, and the Allan Savorys to inspire us in this journey. Their passion is a gift to us all. We can taste it on the palate and feel it in our bones. Tea is like that too…
Nobody grows and produces tea to get rich. The future of handcrafted teas in China is uncertain. For years the pay for picking leaves was around $50/month. Barely a living wage twenty years ago, it's an impossibility in today's China. Once soil fertility was the biggest problem for the farmer. Today it's labor to help with the harvests. The average plot a family owned was around two mu – about one-third of an acre, a size once easily managed by a family household. Consolidation and factory expansion morphed into modern factories that have become reliant on cheap migrant labor from poorer provinces for their plucking. This practice is not sustainable. Its very rare, if not outright impossible, to find the youth in the tea districts that want to remain on the land and continue their family's farming tradition. When I began my tea business in the 1990's there were eight million tea farmers in China. Today that number is a fraction of that. The plight is easily seen in the flood of farmers who've abandoned their fields and gone off to the towns and cities in search of an education or a job. Even shining shoes could earn more money than tea farming. Like the impossibility of having a wonderful meal from an angry chef, a struggling and anxious family can't make the best tea.
I had to stop selling Jade Spring Green tea, which was also from northern Fujian. This was one of my great signature teas from the past. After a Swiss company opened up a factory in a town to manufacture colorful wooden knick-knacks for children's bedrooms in Europe, the town's tea tradition came to an abrupt end. The opportunity for the local tea farmers to earn a salary throughout the year and be paid more than what could be earned farming tea, irrespective of the weather, was too great to pass up…
I'm nostalgic for the old days of wandering through the tea mountains and staying not in hotels but in the simple homes of the farmers. I could get away with that once I became known and "successful". After being written up in newspapers and put on national television a half dozen times, my anonymity in the tea mountains disappeared and no longer was I followed, detained and questioned by the police for being in areas where foreigners weren't allowed. I was welcomed and treated warmly wherever I went. Once a visiting American friend and I were walking down the street in town and he stops suddenly and exclaimed "that's you" as we were passing a sidewalk television that happened to be showing me in the news!
My last successful foray into the Nannuo Shan tea mountains collecting Pu-erh Maocha,
Tea Break Number Five
I've saved the best till last. This will be an interesting tea break. Not only because the two pu-erh teas we've chosen are so diverse in taste and appearance, but they represent the least expensive and most costly tea from my entire collection. Pu-erh Mini Toucha, "Nuomi Xiang", Cat. No. 5406 Aged raw pu-erh with sticky-rice scent, 2004. This tea is a well-aged raw pu-erh from 2004 and scented with the herb Semnostachya menglaensis, a rare plant indigenous to the tropical rainforest of Mengla, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. Fourteen hundred pounds of this tea was originally purchased in 2004 for one of our wholesale accounts. The company changed hands before they took possession of this tea, and we were left holding the inventory. It's reasonable at the original price of $15/.25 lb, but if you purchase a full pound, we'll give it to you at $20. If you could use ten pounds, your price will be $10/lb. If you want five hundred pounds, give us a call…
You can purchase a sample of this tea for $5.00 with your next order, or take a chance and order a full pound. The tea is actually very good tasting and now has had sixteen years of aging. When brewing this tea, as with many raw pu-erhs, once the tea has opened up you need only 10-15 seconds of steeping time for each infusion. Jeannie thinks this tea would be great as a flavoring for homemade ice cream!
The second tea could be our most valued find.
Tong Qing Hao, Raw pu-erh cake, Net weight: 400 grams, 1980's, Cat. No.5127
5 gram sample @ $10.
25 grams @ $40.
100 grams @ $125.
Whole cake (400 grams +/-) plain paper wrapper, nei fei, no nei (tong) piao nor ribbon: $400.
Whole tong in original packing (7 cakes @ 400 grams +/- each, plain paper, 6 with nei fei only and 1 with nei fei and nei (tong) piao and ribbon): $ 2,400 .
We thank Paul Clisura for his passionate research and comprehensive provenance of this tea. We have included excerpts from an article that he wrote:
Liu Tian 田 劉 founded Tong Qing Hao 同 慶 號 in the1730's. It became one of the most legendary teahouses. When it closed after over 200 years in business following the events of Nationalization/Cultural Revolution, a collective tear was shed by many as the tea house was taken over by, uh, "the collective" itself. Sadly, though "fortunately," "closed" didn't actually mean "closed," but rather a "reshuffling" of ownership. We won't get into the legal issues around the use of the name, as that's an all-too prevalent problem in China and that isn't the focus of this write-up. We're all well aware, and most are in agreement, that Tong Qing Hao teas (frankly, just about every brand of tea such as Menghai, Song Pin Hao, Kunming, etc), during the period of approximately 1950 – 1990, weren't made by the descendants of the various families/founders, but fell under the CNNP (China National Native Produce and Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation) branding. However, the brand names were still in use, discoverable either out right, hinted at via CNNP, or by visual, smell, or taste reference. One thing that didn't change much, though, was the quality of the tea used/produced. It wasn't as if suddenly there was no one left with tea-making knowledge/ability.
David acquired this tea around 1994 at the Fangcun Tea Market in Guangzhou China 廣 州 芳 村 茶 叶市 場 中 國 from a merchant whom he'd done business with for many years and whose family was in the tea business for many decades. The merchant said the tea was at least 10 years old. This would place the tea in the 1980 – 85 range. However, I believe it's older than the merchant indicated. Continued reading will provide you with information behind such reasoning.
This tea is a Yi Wu Mountain 易 武 山 tea, considered by many in China since ancient times to be the best area for Pu-erh tea leaves in all of Yunnan 雲 南 . Formerly referred to as Mansa Mountain 曼 洒 山, the name was changed to Yi Wu Mountain in approximately 1958, since the main village in the area was Yi Wu. It's surely one of the most important mountain areas in Mengla 勐 腊 縣 and, indeed, all of Xishuangbanna 西 雙 版 納 . This "Yi Wu Zheng Shan" 易 武 正 山 (Yi Wu Original Mountain) tea is from this large mountain area encompassing two divided portions: the "north and south" mountains. This tea refers to the south mountains region. One thing that needs to be understood about tea in China at that time is that it was not widely appreciated much at all for its true magnificence. It was just considered the "common drink" of the people; much in the same way most Westerners at that time approached their "Cup of Joe." So while the tea factories were still producing high quality tea, it was rarely valued, or, frankly, understood, save for a scant few people. Such a "non-interest" by the general public kept demand practically at nil and the prices of these wonderful teas, with the "help" of the government, artificially low. It was not unusual at all during that time for many tea merchants to routinely downplay, or not even cop to the fact, that the teas were older, as it was hard enough to sell current stock they already possessed, let alone that which had built up over the years. These older teas took on an almost "leftovers" sort of feeling to them by the general public. Merchants would rarely divulge, in concrete terms, the age of the teas they had. This was either because the public was not appreciative of these older teas they deemed "too old" and therefore undesirable in the sense that, "If no one else is buying them, I'm not going to buy them," or because the merchants themselves feared that revealing such would result in a lost sale, or they had actually forgotten how old they truly were. This ambiguousness was commonplace, as the vast majority of the tea drinking public wasn't like the minuscule tea drinking cognoscenti of the day and wouldn't be able, or willing, to accept/appreciate anything deemed "that old." Oh, how times have changed!
When one visited these tea merchants in Guangzhou and Hong Kong and saw their storage (some as many as 5 floors of it), it was easy to understand how so many of these merchants were sitting on very old teas that they had little idea that they still even possessed. There were so many phenomenal teas to behold at these merchants back then that upon entering each store it made one feel like Columbus laying eyes upon "the new world" for the first time. The next part of this story provides more clarity. Prior to 1949 (tea's "ancient" period), save for perhaps a few factories, cakes in tong were not wrapped as it wasn't deemed a necessity. After the government nationalized the tea factories, changes to this would be implemented, but not fully adopted, for some time, evidenced by the many wrapperless cakes of the 1960's and beyond. Indeed, now that the tea factories "belonged to the people," there was little incentive to change anything that would increase the cost of producing these already-meagerly priced teas. It was the government that officially set such a low price for the teas to begin with, in so keeping with a quasi-communist mantra: tea for the proletariat, not for the elite. Then, in somewhat of a (governmental?) baby step, and perhaps as a way to help limit oxidation and to provide some information, factories, now under CNNP control, began wrapping them in paper. Some had simple, low cost, plain paper wrappers with all Chinese-printed characters. This would continue for some time, when the wrappers, as well as the nei fei 內 菲 , etc, then became even more informative, and "standardized" thanks to CNNP, including adding Pinyin, Chinese characters printed left to right, and many years later became more decorative. The Tong Qing Hao cakes offered here are all wrapped in plain paper.
The packaging for this tea is quite unique. In fact, I've never seen such before or since, and I think neither will you. But the real merit is its outstanding quality. What separates this tea's packaging from the norm, besides the plain paper wrapping, is that the top cake in each tong 筒 has the large Tong Qing Hao Dragon Horse 龍 馬 nei (tong) piao 筒 票 affixed to the wrapper as well as colored, embroidered ribbon protruding from under the nei (tong) piao, "Dong-Nan-Bei-Xi" 东 南 西 北 (Chinese cardinal points of "East-South-North-West"), and wrapping slightly around the edge portions of the cake's wrapper. At the time, I thought it was a nice touch and nothing but typical packaging for that brand. However, I've found out it's anything but common. After examination by a fabric specialist, (thread examination, burn test, residue smudge test, smell test, etc) it's believed to be about 70/30 Polyester/Rayon blend. Polyester was invented in the early 1940's and wearable fabric was made in the late 40's early 50's. Its use in ribbon making became prevalent post WW2. China would import polyester and other man-made fibers beginning in the 60's and have their own production in the early 70's. Rayon production in China, on the other hand, began in the late 50's. Come the early 70's, Polyester and Rayon production in China was at full bore. This fits well into the timeframe of estimated production of the tea. The ribbon's pattern is similar to ancient embroidery patterns that adorn many of the clothing worn by, mainly, the women of the ethnic minority tribes of the Yunnan 雲 南 area, such as the Yi 彝 and Dai 傣 族 . Even if this ribbon was imported to China prior to their ability and scale to manufacture such, the ribbon's pattern has been dated to have been made/used from the late 50's to mid 80's. Being that this ribbon wouldn't be worn as clothing, it would make sense that for this purpose it wasn't made out of cotton or silk. Was this a limited, special production of Tong Qing Hao Dragon Horse tea, gathered from a very specific part of Yi Wu Mountain from very specific trees by a specific clan/tribe? And was this ribbon a nod, a form of commemoration, to that clan/tribe? After all, the Dai are not just "an ethnic minority." No, there's more to them than that. They are considered the original farmers of Pu-erh tea, going back over 2,000 years. Not only that, they make, by hand, some of the most outstanding paper you could find, most of which, certainly years ago, was used to wrap the teacakes. Or was this ribbon to delineate that it was from the south portion of the mountain range? Or was it accorded a special local award of sorts?
The final part to this story is the nei fei itself. This is the ancient nei fei style: characters printed inside of a double red line printed oval, as opposed to characters printed inside a single red line printed rectangle. It appears that sometime around the late 70's to mid 80's the single line red rectangle appeared and would become more prevalent. The double red line oval was most likely left over from already-printed stock as well as continued printing by the factory/estate (or its supplier) until that time when they ran out and/or things became a little more standardized toward the rectangle-printed nei fei. It is for all the above reasons that lead me to believe that these Tong Qing Hao teacakes are possibly from the mid 1970's. An extreme rarity.
The tea has been in storage inside David's tea cave for the past quarter century. Humidity levels fluctuate in the 60% – 75% range, and temperature range, depending on the season, varies between 60-70°F. I believe his storage has greatly benefited the tea, allowing it to develop a panoply of flavors reminiscent of dried fruits, camphor, mineralization, wood, etc.
While I can provide you with all of this info, it comes down to the tea. That's what makes this story what it is; from the tea maker and techniques employed, and to where it all begins – with great, raw source material, of course. Here are my perspectives and insights into this tea:
Teacake Appearance and Scent: Fine leaf quality and a few stems visible. Excellent color displayed at this stage of development. Firmly and evenly pressed. Not easily broken apart by hand. Beautiful, sweet tea-woody scents.
Wash color, Initial scents/taste: Deep yellowish color with a tinge of light brown. The washed (10 – 15 seconds) tea at first is quite nice. Reveals light hints of melon, muted stewed cherries, wood, camphor, earth. The washed tea leaves' vapor is absolutely amazingly aromatic. Surprising, though it turned out to be quite indicative of what was to come. It was like entering a country farmer's market and getting that
first whiff, providing a preview of aromas and flavors. The liquor starts off beautifully with that typical yellow gold of great sheng. It moves into colors that show nice mahogany hues and then gets deeper and begins to reveal a lovely rosewood warmth to it on longer steeps. Crystal clear, like a chunk of jewel-quality amber. The coloring maintains its strength well through the initial steepings and then varied steep times each subsequent steep. The depth of extract and coloring can increase/decrease based on your desired steep times and the intensity you wish to achieve. The remaining leaves have a dark brownish color with tinges of dark olive green.
Aromatics: The tea itself brings forth notes of sliced Fuyu persimmon, hints of sweet soil, lightly damp earth, dried rose petals and wild flowers, a deep, almost sweet raisin-like aroma, licorice root, violin bow rosin. Hints of a somewhat ginseng/frankincense-like quality and notes of camphor -yet another sign of its pre 1990's origin. It exhibits that beautiful, distinct petrichor-like fragrance rising from the tea, wafting so regally over the room, followed by notes of wet clay. Reveals an
unmistakable aroma of finely hewn centuries old wood from an ancient temple.
Eucalyptus/Camphor abounds. Make sure to smell the gaiwan or teapot after you pour out the tea upon each steep and you'll pick up notes of an amazing strawberry-marzipan like fragrance. The bouquet is quite intoxicating to say the least.
Mouthfeel: Not overly thick or cloying, yet concentrated. Weight/feel of the liquor is a 7.5 – 8 out of 10.
Taste: A tea of exquisite refinement and balance but this tea really comes into its own at around the 5thsteep. Notes of dried plum/pear, wood, a wonderful, almost dark sweetness with notes of the dry bitterness of 85% cacao chocolate. An almost Ku Gua 苦 瓜 (bitter melon) bitterness/astringency to it on the sides of the palate and a sweetness on the middle. Subsequent steeps reveal a combo of dried Chinese Red/Medjool dates, and rich notes of that amazing resinous character so indicative of high-quality Pu-erh. No doubt the constituent properties of camphor trees in the area influence such. Camphor is considered a benchmark of great Pu-erh tea. Freshly foraged mushrooms and beet/root vegetables. Mid palate to the finish shows incredible earthy, clay-like notes. Finishes with an amazingly complex hint of sweet earth, wood, resin, and ever-so-lightly honeyed yellow squash mixed with dried apricot. Can clearly taste the Chinese medicinal notes in this tea. The tea's Qi 气 is understandable only via one's willingness to accept that it exists, and your ability to feel it and to interpret its presence as it flows through your body. I won't be so presumptuous as to tell you that there is "x" level of it in this tea, I leave such ethereal properties up to you for your own discernment.
400g +/- grams per cake.
Each cake is individually wrapped in plain paper with no printing. Each cake has its own nei fei.
The top cake in each tong of 7 cakes has the large Dragon Horse nei (tong) piao along with commemorative/decorative ribbon affixed to the outer wrapper.
Appears to have a stem to leaf ratio of approximately 3.5% by weight.
The nei (tong) piao is translated (translations vary) as follows:
Yunnan Tong Qing Hao. This store established in Yunnan for over 100 years. The Pu-erh is chosen from original Yi Wu Mountain. Early spring tender white tip leaves. The tea leaves color is golden yellow and thick. The water flavor is dark red and fragrance is all-natural. And this is the nei piao to prove it. Tong Qing original factory/store. The nei fei (in non-simplified characters) says pretty much the same.
Each tong (in non-simplified characters) is stamped, translated as follows:
春 陽 Early Spring
嫩
尖 Early Spring Tender Pick
慶
號 Tong Qing Zi Hao
易武
正 Original Mountain
Tong Top View
In conclusion, The Last Resort has been successful in demonstrating a working model of sustainability. The water bill is just 20% of the County average. I grow and cook food, heat the house, water the garden and fruit trees, with a very small carbon footprint, powered by the sun and earthworms. Unfortunately, the current liability with the county diminishes any sustainability advantage.
It was always my plan when I purchased the property to turn the The Last Resort over to a non-profit, which would maintain and hold the property in perpetuity for the community and future generations.
From The Lagunitas Project website: (https://thelagunitasproject.org)
THE LAGUNITAS PROJECT was formed in 2018 to be a source point for inspiring creativity and discovery of systems that recover bio-diversity, and grow environmental awareness as modeled in the sustainable village at The Last Resort —the nucleus of The Lagunitas Project.
We serve to:
Maintain and preserve The Last Resort through fiscal stewardship;
Establish the David L. Hoffman Center for Sustainable Living;
Present Arts, Architecture, Cultural and Environmental Programming for Children, Youth and Adults;
Support a Global Artist Residency and Lab for Discovering Scalable Solutions to Environmental Problems;
Grow Social Awareness for Clean Technology Through Diverse Individual, Group and Community Partnerships;
Work with Organizations to Promote and Integrate Eco-Restorative Systems in Construction Standards.
If not for the selfless support and dedication of three neighbors, John Torrey, Walter Scott, and Jean Berensmeier, I probably would have lost the property long ago. I also bow to the herculean efforts put forth by Paul Seaton, Executive Director of The Lagunitas Project, and so many others who have believed and contributed to the survival of The Last Resort.
Next week I will appear before the judge unrepresented. I will do my best to get the case thrown out of court, as unlikely as this might be. Sixty thousand dollars was the original agreed amount for settlement by previous County Counsel Tom Lyons before he was replaced by Deputy County Counsel Brian Case, who took that offer off the table. The County has now received more than four times this amount. Can't we just call it a day and be done with it? Let me live my life in peace!!
In court, I'm up against four attorneys; for the County, the Receiver, and the bank. David vs. Goliath. The County is holding me hostage. Before I can even give my property away for free to a non-profit, I must first pay up front over one million dollars.
Our current Supervisor Dennis Rodoni inherited this quagmire from the previous administration under former Supervisor Steve Kinsey. I think Supervisor Rodoni is a solid guy and sincere in wanting a fair and equitable settlement. His influence is key for the future of The Last Resort. If you can, please make a point of contacting him either by phone or e-mail at (415) 473-7331 or drodoni@marincounty.org. Letters of support and making an appearance in the courtroom are always helpful.
I will need time to put together a payment plan for the fines and penalties mentioned above. If the judge and the County are willing to negotiate a more reasonable settlement, I could make a down payment up front, and schedule payments over time utilizing tea revenues from The Phoenix Collection.
If you wish to show your support for tea, The Last Resort, or myself, please come to the court hearing on Thursday, March 12th at 9 am. Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael, California: Courtroom F.
Now, being that I'm in my 70's, I don't always get back to people with the quickness of a jack-rabbit youth, but whenever you do reach out to me, I'll always make the effort to respond…just be patient, thank you. And if we should be talking by phone, please speak up and take me off speakerphone, as my hearing isn't what it used to be.
I can't predict my future but I'm still sowing seeds in the garden and planting new fruit trees on the terraces…
May peace and sanity prevail in the world!
P.S.: If you're in the Bay Area on a Saturday, please drop by our little Tea Museum, 7282 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Lagunitas, California. As long as we're still here, we will remain open to the public, 10:00am- 2:00pm, every Saturday. Free tea tasting and many interesting teas for sale. Other days and times by appointment only. Call Jeannie for more info.
David vs. Goliath: Up Against 5 Lawyers
February 22, 2020 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
Below is a letter I wrote to the adversary lawyers of The Last Resort. I sent this letter along with a book by Dahr Jamal, The End of Ice.
To The Lawyers Five,
I'm sending each of you a copy of Dahr Jamail's book "The End of Ice". This is not a gift nor can it be construed as a bribe. The book has no value but the information it contains is priceless. The Smithsonian has called it one of the ten best science reads. Its pages are few, less than one inch, which palls in comparison with the mountains of paperwork I've received you all. Our survival as a species is dependent not on money we have in the bank but how we respect and honor that which gives us life. I'm slightly ashamed to admit I've had to draw courage from a sixteen year old Swedish girl named Greta. She and I speak the same language. It may not be the tongue of lawyers but Dahr Jamail's book can do the translation.
Reading it may indeed save you from the confusion of your children and grandchildren who will not understand your morality and your motivation in shutting down The Last Resort and making me homeless. Of course you all need to be paid for the time you spend being on the right side of the law. I'm "guilty as sin" as my seventh lawyer told me. I accept that and understand I must be punished and made to pay heavy fines and penalties. Blood must be drawn to discourage others from considering doing the same. My tea business is having record sales. Money is available for reasonable code upgrades, maintenance, and paying down my bill to the County and Receiver. But expecting me to come up with a million dollars by March 12th is not going to happen.
You've already succeeded in scaring off several Lagunitas Project board members with the sword of liability hanging over their heads. Depending on your presentation to the judge, it may be game over for me on that day and I'll be forced to hit the road and you'll inherit many valuable possessions of mine, including a million dollar tea collection. You will not be able to sell my tea at that price, and neither could I in a quick fire sale. Its value is in keeping thousands of tea drinkers happy over many years…
Resolution in sight for Lagunitas tea purveyor
December 18, 2019 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
By Anna Guth | POINT REYES LIGHT
The date has been set for a mandatory settlement conference between the county and David Lee Hoffman, the Lagunitas resident who for years has defended the dozens of unpermitted structures on his property despite mounting fines. In superior court this month, Judge Paul Haakenson put the settlement discussion on the calendar for March 12, a meeting he hopes will result in a final resolution. The conference will include county counsel, the receiver to whom the judge gave control over the property in 2015, a representative from the Bank of America—which has a lien on the property—and members of the Lagunitas Project, a nonprofit that has been fundraising for months and hopes to eventually take ownership of the property. Mr. Hoffman faces a nearly $1 million tab on his property taxes in penalties and fees, alongside the estimated cost of $2.2 million to bring his property into compliance. Paul Seaton, the executive director of the Lagunitas Project, said he hopes for $90,000 in grant monies next year. With support from groups like the Marin chapter of the Sierra Club, the project envisions using Mr. Hoffman's property as a model of sustainable systems. Though Mr. Hoffman and the county have agreed to apply the more lenient historic building code to the property—dubbed The Last Resort—the settlement will iron out the details. For example, Mr. Seaton hopes the county will agree to preserve the extensive and unique gray water system, which filters and recycles water, and a black water system that composts human waste. In a letter sent in August, the chair of the local Sierra Club chapter, Judy Schriebman, wrote that Mr. Hoffman has demonstrated a "nearly closed-loop cycle for waste treatment and food production, on a very small property. This is an extraordinarily powerful and unique working example of sustainability." At the hearing last Friday, Judge Haakenson encouraged Mr. Hoffman not to stall the settlement in any way, considering the case has dragged on for more than a decade and that the alternative to an agreement was bulldozing. "What I often tell people embroiled in litigation is to look forward, not backwards, and not to pose the problem but rather the solution. That's what we are going to work on in the next 90 days," he said.
Lagunitas tea purveyor reports progress in county settlement talks
August 29, 2019 by thelastresort 1 Comment
Settlement discussions are underway between Marin County and David Lee Hoffman, the Lagunitas resident who faces mounting fines in his fight to preserve dozens of unpermitted structures on his property. At a hearing last Friday, both parties reported to Marin County Superior Court Judge Paul Haakenson that their negotiations over the past three months had been productive, though they have yet to reach an agreement. The court will reconvene in 90 days to hear their progress.
Paul Seaton, a San Rafael attorney who is serving as the executive director for the Lagunitas Project, updated Judge Haakenson on Friday that the group has more than $90,000 in promised donations. Mr. Seaton is working with the receiver—who has been in control of Mr. Hoffman's property since 2015—and county counsel Brian Case to determine how to best bring the 36 structures and other features on the property into compliance with county code.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hoffman, who dismissed his lawyers earlier this year to take matters into his own hands, has been tackling the financial aspect of the settlement with Mr. Case. Transferring ownership of the property to the nonprofit will be a part of the settlement. Thanks to Mr. Seaton's advocacy, the Marin chapter of the Sierra Club penned a letter to the judge this month in support of preserving the property, which it wrote was a model of sustainability.
Mr. Hoffman and his many supporters have long advocated for the county to apply a more lenient code, the California Historic Building Code, to the property, which they argue has architectural and historical significance. The Sierra Club's letter favored the application of this code; doing so could involve the reinstatement of the Marin County Architectural Commission's deci-sion from 2016 that the site is historically important. (The status of that designation is under dispute.)
"While the land use of the Last Resort property is unconventional, we acknowledge that unconventional approaches will be needed in order to over-come the global environmental challenges facing humanity," wrote Judy Schriebman, chair of the Marin Group Sierra Club. "Under normal circumstances, the Sierra Club would be inclined to challenge property use that involved over-building. In this case, whatever its origins, we now feel there are vitally important overriding considerations in favor of preservation."
Ms. Schriebman described the two overriding considerations, including that Mr. Hoffman has demonstrated a "nearly closed-loop cycle for waste treatment and food production, on a very small property. This is an extraordinarily powerful and unique working example of sustainability." Second, Mr. Hoffman has treated the property "as a community resource, opening [it] to tours by international land-use designers, individuals interested in small-scale sustainable land use, and even local school field trips, as well as offering a meeting space."
Judge Haakenson acknowledged the letter on Friday and emphasized that he has not taken the many opportunities that have come before him to order the property to be demolished. Mr. Hoffman, who now is well accustomed to speaking on his own in court despite his trouble hearing, raised an issue concerning a mysterious fee charged by the Bank of America during his settlement discussions. Judge Haakenson, speaking to a Bank of America representative who phoned in to the hearing, more or less resolved the issue, which proved to be a previous fine rather than a new penalty. The judge encouraged Mr. Hoffman to stay positive. "Step away from the ledge and do not put a damper on the negotiations," the judge advised. "Your highest and best hope is to negotiate. and to bring the property in compliance with the law."
Sierra Club Letter of Support
August 22, 2019 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, Marin County Board of Supervisors
Judge Paul Haakenson, Marin County Superior Court
RE: The Last Resort/The Lagunitas Project
Dear Supervisor Rodoni and Judge Haakenson:
The Marin Group Sierra Club, representing 6600 members in Marin County, supports the reinstatement of the Marin County Architectural Commission resolution that all 36 structures on the 2-acre property of David Lee Hoffman in Lagunitas constitute a cultural and historic landmark of local importance.
The work of David Lee Hoffman's architectural, ecological vision, The Last Resort, stands as a living model of what we can and should be doing in order to live in a truly sustainable way on the earth. As a representation of the "Back to the Land" movement of the 60's, it is an outstanding example of regenerative design, and in line with directions that communities are calling for in efforts such as Project Drawdown Marin.
In the spirit of "waste is not waste until it's wasted", The Last Resort is an environmental model of sustainable and harmonious living. It attempts to assimilate both natural methods from the past with modern know-how to create a living system that effectively demonstrates possibilities of thriving in a non-polluting healthy environment. Its mission is to discover and perfect practical low-cost sustainable methods for waste management, water re-use, and food security. To this end, a unique integrated bio-management system has been successfully developed.
While the land use of The Last Resort property is unconventional, we acknowledge that unconventional approaches will be needed, in order to overcome the global environmental challenges facing humanity.
Under normal circumstances, the Sierra Club would be inclined to challenge property use that involved over-building. In this case, whatever its origins, we now feel that there are vitally important overriding considerations in favor of preservation.
In the case of The Last Resort property, we feel that there are two main overriding considerations in favor of preservation:
1. On The Last Resort property, Mr. Hoffman has demonstrated a nearly closed-loop cycle for waste treatment and food production, on a very small property. This is anextraordinarily powerful and unique working example of sustainability, from which, we believe, many individuals and land-use designers can learn, to the benefit of humanity.
2. Mr. Hoffman has freely treated the property as a community resource, opening the property to tours by international land-use designers, individuals interested in small scale sustainable land-use, and even local school field trips, as well as offering a meeting space. This is precisely how we feel the sustainability aspect of this property should be regarded – as a living, working model that attempts to demonstrate possibilities for small-scale, closed-loop sustainable living – one that shares its efforts and lessons learned with others, while remaining a real-world residence.
We are very grateful for your recent efforts to reach a compromise that preserves this property as a historic landmark. As the process of working with Mr. Hoffman progresses, we also express the imperative to reinstate Marin County's own Architectural Commission's ruling that David's site is historically important. This would allow the use of the California Historic Building Code asa guideline and protections this code offers. Reinstating the Commission's ruling is ethical and allows for long-awaited progress in complying with reasonable code upgrades and an ultimate resolution.
We feel that Mr. Hoffman is a visionary who has pioneered solutions to climate change. These solutions lie in the very structures and systems that would be destroyed if the Commission's unanimous ruling continues to be discounted or ignored. We believe the demolition of thiswork would be a black mark on the face of Marin County, and a significant lost opportunity to protect and preserve this unique site and its historical import, past and future. We do not want to lose The Last Resort.
We request that Marin County, through their receiver, reinstate their own Commission's unanimous ruling, which declared that David's property deserves local historic status. The reinstatement of the County Architectural Commission ruling would be the final step in bringing closure to the issue of preserving as much of The Last Resort site as possible without interfering with the work of the receiver.
We believe that if Mr. Hoffman loses The Last Resort, we all lose — and we believe that the solution is outlined by the steps presented to you by The Lagunitas Project.
We are truly thankful to have you addressing these issues.
Judy Schriebman, Chair, Marin Group Sierra Club
MARIN COUNTY GROUP
Protecting the Marin environment since 1968, scmaringroup@gmail.com
2530 San Pablo Ave., Suite I, Berkeley, CA 94702 sierraclub.org/san-francisco-bay/marin
OPINION Marin Voice: Commercial developers are threatening Lagunitas' Last Resort
David Lee Hoffman pours cups of tea he brewed for visitors over an open fire on Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Lagunitas. He has been building exotic, Tibetan and Chinese inspired structures on his Lagunitas land for 40 years without permits from Marin County. He now faces $460,000 in fines and a court order to tear everything down. (IJ photo/Frankie Frost)
By MARI SEREBROV | August 19, 2019 at 10:33 am
An outgrowth of the back-to-the-earth movement of the 1960s and early '70s, the Last Resort in Lagunitas is a testament to one man's ingenuity and his dream of developing a practical, low-cost ecological system that could serve as a demonstration project for his community.
Now, nearly 50 years after David Lee Hoffman began turning his two acres of hillside into an artistic environmental model of living sustainably, Marin County officials are threatening to destroy everything he's created by reneging on old agreements and assessing penalties approaching $1 million. That includes hundreds of thousands of dollars to mitigate off-site environmental damage that has nothing to do with the Last Resort.
What could be lost, if the county doesn't back down in court later this month, is a unique integrated bio-management system that uses vermiculture, composting and healthy gray water processes to produce a natural fertilizer that enriches the soil for growing high-grade organic food. Also at stake are more than 35 buildings that the Marin County Architectural Commission has cited for their architectural significance.
So what is the Last Resort?
"It's an important and significant example of East-West folk art," according to sustainable architect Sim Van der Ryn, who was appointed California State Architect by former governor Jerry Brown and is on the architecture faculty at the University of California at Berkeley.
Others consider it a quintessential living history – a prime example of the do-it-yourself, back-to-the-land, Mother Earth ethos of the 1960s put into practice.
For Hoffman, the Last Resort is his home. It embodies three principles: water is precious, soil is sacred and human waste is a resource. Following those principles, Hoffman, who has an engineering and physics background, designed all the systems at the Last Resort to be completely isolated and self-contained so there is no chance of polluting the environment.
Considered a leading global authority on pu-erh teas, Hoffman is known in the tea world for introducing and popularizing fine handcrafted artisanal teas to the West. With his extensive background in vermiculture and soil fertility, Hoffman worked with China's prestigious National Tea Research Institute, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Department of Agriculture to help them implement organic and sustainable tea-farming practices.
Hoffman has argued that the buildings, including the original house that was built in the 1920s, should be held to the historical building code. He admits that as he developed his compound, he didn't bother with building permits. Back in the 1970s, no one in that part of the county did. "We were pretty much left alone," Hoffman said. Even when the county started handing him red tags years later for not having a permit, there was a tacit agreement that everything was OK.
That all changed about 10 years ago when a new generation of building inspectors came into county government. The county initially agreed to settle the permit violations for $60,000 but then reneged on that offer, Hoffman said. Its latest settlement offer was $700,000 in penalties.
The costs escalated when a judge appointed a receiver to determine the property needs. With Hoffman expected to pay for the receiver's time and all expenses, the receiver has called in multiple experts and agencies to identify violations that "could" be occurring at the Last Resort. Hoffman's struggle to preserve his vision "got more complex and more convoluted with all these agencies," he said.
Hoping to pass the ecological lessons he's learned to future generations, Hoffman is working with the Lagunitas Project to preserve the Last Resort property in a Public Benefit Trust.
"I set out 46 years ago to create a living model of sustainability. I succeeded," Hoffman said.
Meanwhile, commercial developers are circling.
The public is welcome to attend the case management conference in Marin Superiour Court at the Civic Center in San Rafael, 9 a.m. on Friday. Go to TheLagunitasProject.org for more information.
Mari Serebrov, who lives in Arkansas, is an award-winning journalist and author. She originally wrote this article for TheLagunitasProject.org.
Marin Voice: Commercial developers are threatening Lagunitas' Last Resort
I Stand With The Last Resort
Dear Supervisor Rodoni and Judge Haakenson,
We immensely appreciate your recent efforts to, at long last, reach a compromise that preserves The Last Resort, David Lee Hoffman's property, as a historic landmark. As the process of working with David progresses, we must express the imperative to reinstate Marin County's own Architectural Commission's ruling that David's site is historically important. This would allow the use of the California Historic Building Code as a guideline and protections this code offers. Reinstating the Commission's ruling is ethical and allows for long-awaited progress in complying with reasonable code upgrades and an ultimate resolution.
This is a work of art, as well as a vision of sustainable architecture and living. It exemplifies principles of the Green New Deal and the 60's Back to the Land movement, bridging the decades with thoughtful, truly intelligent ecological design.
We do not want to lose The Last Resort, nor do we want to lose David as a friend, neighbor, and contributor to our community.
We feel that David is a visionary who, during the past 40 years, has created solutions to climate change issues that we face as a global community. These solutions lie in the very structures and systems that stand to be destroyed if the Commission's unanimous ruling continues to be discounted or ignored. We believe the demolition of his work would severely endanger the health, safety, beauty and tranquility of Marin County – and the potential for large-scale solutions that David's innovation provides.
We request that Marin County, through their receiver, reinstate their own Commission's unanimous ruling, which declared that David's property deserves local historic status. You, too, recently stated in your January 31, 2017 letter to the appointed receiver, "Furthermore, please consider this an official request from my office to include architectural and cultural value determinations on the Hoffman property in your final recommendations." The reinstatement of the County Architectural Commission ruling would be the final step in bringing closure to the issue of preserving as much of David's site as possible without interfering with the work of the receiver.
We believe that if David loses, we all lose — and we believe the solution is outlined by the steps in this petition.
We support the reinstatement of the Marin County Architectural Commission resolution that all 36 structures on the 2-acre property of David Lee Hoffman in Lagunitas constitute a cultural and historic landmark of local importance.
Jeanette Freudenberger Letter
June 28, 2019 by thelastresort Leave a Comment
Dear Judge Haakenson,
I just have a simple question to consider. At some point David's money may run out and then what would happen? He will be 75 this year and is also suffering from Lyme. If there is any way to draw this whole situation to an end, for the benefit of his physical and financial health and have some peace in the later years of his life, that would be most helpful. As I'm sure the County wants to be done with this too.
Jeanette Freudenberger
Lagunitas, CA 94938
Copyright © 2022 · THE LAST RESORT - Lagunitas


text:
Cell Marque™ strives to be complete and accurate in the presentation of this information; however, Cell Marque™, Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC, its shareholders, its officers, its employees, and its business associates assume no liability for any reliance on any of the contents of this information including but not limited to any of the antibody panels. Furthermore, Cell Marque™ assumes no liability for any omissions. It is the sole responsibility of laboratories to independently validate the application and proper use of any product(s) and/or protocol(s). The antibody panels were constructed based on the internal investigations of Cell Marque™ with scores based on the percentage of positivity represented as follows: "-" for 0-40%, "-/+" for 40-50%, "+/-" for 50-60%, "+" for 60-100%, and blank for no available data. The products in these panels are intended for multiple uses (IVD, RUO, ASR).
The contents of these antibody panels are intended for educational purposes and should be used as a guideline only. Individual results may vary. It is the sole responsibility of end users to independently validate the application and proper use of any product(s) and/or protocol(s) listed herein.
CM + RabMAb
PD-1 (EP239)
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PD-1 (EP239) on Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
PD-1
Specialties: Anatomic Pathology Hematopathology
Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is expressed on activated T-cells, B-cells, and myeloid cells. Anti-PD-1 is a marker of angioimmunoblastic lymphoma and suggests a unique cell of origin for this neoplasm. Unlike CD10 and BCL6, PD-1 is expressed by few B-cells, so anti-PD-1 may be a more specific and useful marker in the identification of angioimmunoblastic lymphoma. In addition, PD-1 expression provides evidence that angioimmunoblastic lymphoma is a neoplasm derived from germinal center-associated T-cells. PD-1 expression in angioimmunoblastic lymphoma lends further support to this model of T-cell oncogenesis, in which specific subtypes of T-cells may undergo neoplastic transformation and result in specific distinct histologic, immunophenotypic, and clinical subtypes of T-cell neoplasia.1-6
Bolstad AI, et al. Increased salivary gland tissue expression of Fas, Fas ligand, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4, and programmed cell death 1 in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Arthritis Rheum. 2003; 48:174-85.
Kobayashi M, et al. Enhanced expression of programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 in salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome. J Rheumatol. 2005; 32:2156-63.
Hamanishi J, et al. Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 and tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes are prognostic factors of human ovarian cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104:3360-5.
Iwai Y, et al. Microanatomical localization of PD-1 in human tonsils. Immunol Lett. 2002; 83:215-20.
Dorfman DM, et al. Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is a marker of germinal center-associated T cells and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. Am J Surg Pathol. 2006; 30:802-10
Konishi J, et al. B7-H1 expression on non-small cell lung cancer cells and its relationship with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and their PD-1 expression. Clin Cancer Res. 2004; 10:5094-100.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Today is opening day, kick off to the 118th season of Major League Baseball. To celebrate, BurgerFi is hosting $1 Dog Day. Guests can enjoy up to two Vienna Hot Dogs per person for just $1 each with complimentary toppings from open to close all day long (Thursday, March 29).
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Click IT Consulting – Specialise in providing high calibre technical and sales professionals for System Integrators, Consultancies, Global Carriers & Vendors.
I cannot commend Paul highly enough to show my appreciation of his fantastic work. If You need a recruiter who delivers, is way above competition, and is personable, approachable and easy to deal with, that's got to be Paul Derham at Click IT Consulting.
Paul at Click IT Consulting has proved his skills in the recruitment field and has great contacts for high profile clients. He understands what his clients require and has proved that he is able to match candidates accordingly.
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I recently referred my friend for a role that Click IT Consulting was advertising for and she got the job 🙂 Because of this Click IT Consulting kindly confirmed that i would be receiving £100.00 of Amazon Vouchers for the referral after her probation period, sure enough 2 months later Click IT Consulting's honesty showed when they presented me with the referral payment which i was very happy to receive.
Please use Click IT Consulting if you help them they will reward you!
I have interacted with Click ITC on couple of occasions over the last couple of years and have always found them a pleasure to talk to. They take time to know your experience, preferences and are candid on market opportunities and expectations. Their qualities are professionalism, work ethic and integrity, standing out clearly from other recruiters I have interacted with.
A Consultant from Click IT tried to head hunt me for a job but I wasn't looking so they told me about a referral scheme they ran and asked me for recommendations and if they got the job they would send me an ipad. Normally I don't believe these kind of offers and I didn't expect to hear from them again but completely out of the blue 2 months later Click IT called to say the referral had worked out and they wanted to send me an ipad! Click IT are true to their word which is rare these days and I would recommend everyone to join this referral scheme.


text:
package com.swmansion.gesturehandler;

import android.content.Context;
import android.content.res.Resources;
import android.util.AttributeSet;
import android.view.MotionEvent;
import android.widget.FrameLayout;

public class GestureHandlerViewWrapper extends FrameLayout {

  private final GestureHandlerOrchestrator mOrchestrator;
  private final GestureHandlerRegistryImpl mRegistry;

  public GestureHandlerViewWrapper(Context context) {
    super(context);
    mRegistry = new GestureHandlerRegistryImpl();
    mOrchestrator = new GestureHandlerOrchestrator(this, mRegistry);
  }

  public GestureHandlerViewWrapper(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
    super(context, attrs);
    mRegistry = new GestureHandlerRegistryImpl();
    mOrchestrator = new GestureHandlerOrchestrator(this, mRegistry);
  }

  public GestureHandlerViewWrapper(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr) {
    super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
    mRegistry = new GestureHandlerRegistryImpl();
    mOrchestrator = new GestureHandlerOrchestrator(this, mRegistry);
  }

  public GestureHandlerRegistryImpl getRegistry() {
    return mRegistry;
  }

  @Override
  public boolean onInterceptTouchEvent(MotionEvent ev) {
    return true;
  }

  @Override
  public boolean onTouchEvent(MotionEvent event) {
    return mOrchestrator.onTouchEvent(event);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Published in Faith and Mission, Vol. 14 #2 Spring 97. Review of Putting an End to the Worship Wars by Elmer Towns. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1997.
Brown, William E., "Review: Putting an End to the Worship Wars" (1997). LBTS Faculty Publications and Presentations. 236.


From my POV it's just one less thing I need to worry about when factoring in my PSU choice. I generally try to run my PSUs somewhere between 60 - 75%, but I throw a lot of voltage at my CPU and the last thing I want to have to do is second guess what 12V line is paired with the CPU.
I agree that the days of rolling our eyes when we see a multi-rail unit are mostly over, but it's still an issue (IMO) in some cases, especially if a person is trying to stretch their dollars by purchasing a PSU which just barely meets their requirements.
edit: It also bears mentioning that folks on a budget would be hard pressed to find a crap single rail unit rated at what they're looking for, while the same most definately can't be said about multi-rail ones.
So I bought my modular today, I did go with the Corsair HX, however I went with a 750 model. I was looking at AMD's site for recomendations on power for CF 5850 and it said it only required 600 watts for dual, so I thought I could save myself a few bucks and get a 750. I hope its enough now lol...second guessing myself.
Thats more than enough power.
on an offnote, corsair has excellent customer service. I bought my HX750 from here used that was missing 2 pci express plugs(seller forgot to ship, wasnt an issue as i wasnt using them) and i called corsair. They took my info down and about 4 days later i had shiny new set of plugs. Corsair had zero obligation to help me out as i purchased my unit second hand but they were great all around. That kind of service is enough to keep my business.
I agree, Corsair has always strived for better than average customer service for sure.


Gardman garden accessories and products are ideal complimentary items in the garden. We stock a great range of Gardman planters and hanging baskets, including the elegant wrought-iron Loire and English Rose heritage baskets, as well as the Versailles potted wall planters. These beautifully simple ornaments will add a touch of class to your garden, and are especially ideal for floral arrangements. To see more information, click on the product images or links.


This is a placeholder page for Martin Reed, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Martin Reed.
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Aims and Objectives The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Housing Management is specially designed to provide students with both academic and professional knowledge in the realm of housing management. The primary objective is to develop students' industry and functional competencies. This will be accomplished through interdisciplinary exposure, problem identification and management application.
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text:
Rosemont, CA
Pest Control in Rosemont, CA - Official Pest Prevention was born January 1, 2000 when the tech bubble was about to burst and people were still concerned about potential Y2K problems. Starting with a few contacts, and only four full-time employees, the small company has grown into an organization that today employs over 25 people, maintains a fleet of 18 trucks, and has serviced over 21,000 northern California households. This tremendous growth has come from loyal customers recommending our work to their friends, family, and neighbors.
Facts About Rosemont, CA - Rosemont is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,681 at the 2010 census, down from 22,904 at the 2000 census. The 2010 United States Census reported that Rosemont had a population of 22,681. The population density was 5,215.0 people per square mile (2,013.5/km²). The racial makeup of Rosemont was 13,496 (59.5%) White, 2,720 (12.0%) African American, 310 (1.4%) Native American, 2,419 (10.7%) Asian, 134 (0.6%) Pacific Islander, 1,754 (7.7%) from other races, and 1,848 (8.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,587 persons (20.2%). -Wikipedia
Rosemont, CA Exterminator
Rosemont United States
Bed Bugs Rosemont, CA - Bedbugs hide in bedding, carpeting and rugs, quilts, clothes, underneath wallpaper, under rags, between curtain folds, behind wall decors and behind wood furnishings. They love to attack in the evening and they will remain active until right before dawn. Bedbugs bite exposed skin of a individual sleeping in an infested bed and then leave reddish scratchy spots. They just don't wander off from sleeping and relaxing areas nevertheless they have the ability to travel over 100 feet throughout the night to look for food. Bed bugs were once terminated in the USA but they are making a comeback with the help of international travelers. The most typical places to find them are motels and condominium buildings. Bed bugs can survive a year without food. This permits them to travel from various places until they found a comforting place with food. They hide on clothes and suitcases of travelers. In addition they live in couches and is transferred from property to property through used furniture. Domestic animals like dogs and cats have thick fur which makes for a fantastic hiding place for bed bugs. Riding public transit like shuttle bus, railroads and taxi cabs can bring you into contact with bed bugs which you then take to your office. Bed bugs are six legged parasitic creatures that suck human and animal blood. Their length is approximately 1/4 inch with an oblong flat form. Their size resembles an apple seed. The top portion of their body has gold shaded hair, antennae and cone like eyes. The bottom portion of their own bodies is wrinkly similar to crinkled paper. Bedbugs can't fly but they can crawl quickly. They develop and multiply in the temperature range of 70 degrees up to 80 degrees.
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Termite Treatment in Rosemont, CA - Termites feed on decomposed plants and trees and shrubs in the dirt. A wood eating termite's jaws are able to dissecting components of woody substance. This kind of ability is the thing that causes worry in our dwellings. An average community of subterranean termites could eat 16 grams of food per day. That is about 12 lbs. of lumber each year. Wood eating termite laborers only measure from 1 cm to a couple of millimeters long, their eating habits are perfect for producing costly property damage. Home foundations, home furnishings, book shelves and even paper publications are eating sites for harmful termites. Subterranean termite homes are usually made around the soil. Inside these mounds, termites build intricate tunnel systems and then use dirt tunnels in which they will access above-ground wood resources. Dry-wood termites reside inside the wood which they eat and moving into and infesting wall space and pieces of furniture. Little techniques produce a big difference with termite prevention and keeping a subterranean termite plan for treatment.
Official Pest related blog posts
Preventive Pest Control
Preventive Pest Control - Most people I know dislike bugs and crawling or flying pest or insect of any size. Some can leave a bite that stings or itches, others want to share our living spaces and our food or even our blood. Fear of insects actually rank just behind fear heights and public speaking. The sight of a spider or roach moving across the floor can cause near panic for some. The truth is that some insects do pose a real threat.
Argentine Ants in the Bay Area
There is a troublesome ant invading Bay Area homes like never before. As the drought leaves little vegetation and water in California, the ants are entering homes in search for sustenance. The worker ants can squeeze through an opening of 1 millimeter with ease. They enter through walls, floors and plumbing pipes and can be found crawling anywhere imaginable -
Bed Bugs are Back
Bugs were eradicated, were they not? For a while it sure seemed so, but not anymore. Bed bugs are back in hotels and in people's homes and they are as resilient as ever; able to survive without food for more than a year. Bed Bugs can carry diseases and some people have serious allergic reactions to their bites. Once bed bugs enter your home they reproduce very quickly. They travel from place to place in luggage, furniture or on people's clothing. Bed bugs got their name from their preference of living in and near the bed, where they can feast on the occupants in the night; they are drawn to warmth, blood and carbon dioxide. Every bed bug situation is different and it is important that home and business owners contact a professional company who will find the best solution for their particular situation. Call Official Pest Prevention and ask for our 3-step process to treat bed bugs.
Rosemont Pest Control & Termite